"Rebuilding the jigsaw of memory": the discourse of Portuguese colonial war veterans' blogs

Abstract

Since the end of 1990s, the Portuguese Colonial War (1961–1974/5) veterans have created a significant number of blogs about their experiences in Africa, challenging the lack of public debate about the war in Portugal. This chapter is based on a critical discourse analysis of Luís Graça and Guinea Comrades blog and in-depth interviews to explore the narratives developed within it and its dynamics. Focusing on the memories constructed by veterans who fought on the side of the Portuguese Armed Forces, the aim is to comprehend how they construct a community of shared memories that reflects the need to make sense of their war experience, and, at the same time, how colonial relations are revealed in their narratives and visual representations.